Photo: MARVIN RECINOS / AFP / Getty Images
By: EFE
Wednesday, October 30
The United States accuses El Salvador of having no interest in improving the relationship between the two
The charge d’affaires of the United States in El Salvador, Jean Manes , said that the Salvadoran Government of Nayib Bukele does not show “interest in improving the relationship ” and indicated that a sign of this is the “Attacks” they receive from government media .
“It is a sign that there is no interest on the part of the Government to improve relations with the United States, if you want to do it, you don’t do that (attack). That is the interpretation made by the White House, which is also made in a bipartisan manner by Congress and the State Department, ”he said at a press conference.
He indicated that “ on our part we want to improve the relationship ”and“ there is total will, but to do that there must be another part that has will. ”
Moments before speaking to the press, Manes announced in a television interview that this week he concludes his mission in the country after six months of constant meetings with the Government of El Salvador.
He affirmed that he arrived in the country after May 1, when a new, broadly pro-government legislature in the Salvadoran Congress took office that removed the constitutional judges from the Supreme Court and the attorney general, as a “bridge” to see if the country would follow an “undemocratic path” or not.
Manes pointed out that the said removal was done in an “unconstitutional way.”
“A pause” in the dialogue
When asked in the interview if His departure means a cessation in the dialogue between the two governments, he indicated that “we are pausing, because the Government of El Salvador is not giving any signal who is interested in our relationship. ”
El Salvador’s relationship with the United States entered after the departure of Donald Trump, whom President Nayib Bukele considered “nice and co ol ” (nice and cool).
Bukele recently pointed out to the United States of financing humanitarian organizations that in his opinion are “opposition” and days later he promoted a law on foreign agents in the Legislative Assembly, criticized internationally.
The same as has the green light for its vote in Congress, establishes a tax of 40% of NGO funding and jail sentences for those who “carry out acts that contravene public order, national security or State sovereignty, making use of funds received by a foreign principal.”
The president assured on Twitter that his proposal “is basically the same law they have in the United States”, but Manes denied this and indicated that “it has nothing to do with it.” with US law. The diplomat also said that “it is not very credible” that this proposal seeks to make the resources transparent received by NGOs and questioned the closure of the International Commission Against Impunity (Cicies) and the reservation of public information.
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